I Iive in CT, which is where the Ovation factory was located for many years. I think I have one of the 'model 8" guitars that preceded the model 1118. Can anyone who was on this thread please contact me? Thanks.

With Glen's early success with a 12 String, Ovation followed up Glens 6 string model (the Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer) with his own 12 string...The Glen Campbell 12 String.

Ovation first introduced their 12 string in late 1967, the Ovation Balladeer 12 String (Credit: Dave Witco ). Its' most eye catching feature was a smaller sound hole, bordered by the soundboard and surrounded by an inlaid rosette.

Towards the end of 1968, Ovation added a diamond inlay pattern, gold Kluson Deluxe tuners, a bound neck and a select spruce soundboard to the Balladeer 12 and introduced the Glen Campbell 12 String or Model #8. (Thank you Nancy Ellis for graciously allowing this guitar to reside in Texas)

GC12fullweb.jpg (38.04 KiB) Viewed 2516 times

GC12headweb.jpg (43.35 KiB) Viewed 2516 times

GC12sigweb.jpg (32.59 KiB) Viewed 2516 times

The oddity about the beautiful 12 that Charles Kaman made for Glen, is that there is no documentation or proof that Glen ever played one...much less owned one. The general consensus is that no more than a dozen or so were produced, before Ovation discontinued them and transitioned their 12 string production into the Ovation Glen Campbell 12 String Model 1118, beginning in either late '68 or early '69. Gone was the shiny bowl, winged bridge, Kluson tuners, smaller sound hole and inlaid rosette and Glen's signature between the tuners. The 1118 Glen Campbell 12 had little, if any, in common with Ovations initial offering. (Thanks to Jerome Galopin for providing this wonder Ovation site (Ovation Tribute)

It appears that Glen had Charlie put a regular sound hole soundboard on top of the original 68 GC 12. It has the same tuners, bridge, headstock with his initials on the 12th fret, and shiny bowl as the original 1968 GC 12. Therefore, it was either a custom or a prototype, because it doesn't appear that this configuration of the Ovation GC 12 was ever publicly available.

So, it doesn't appear that Glen ever owned or played the first Ovation Glen Campbell 12 String and the first Ovation Glen Campbell 12 String that he played was custom made for him. The sound hole from Glen's GC12 was carried forward into the Glen Campbell 12 Model 1118, which was produced soon after the initial Glen Campbell 12 was discontinued.